Buoys for ship loading, unloading or bunkering



March 26, 1963 K. G. N. RHEDIN 3,082,440

BUOYS FOR SHIP LOADING, UNLOADING OR BUNKERING Filed May 15. 1961 6Sheets-Sheet 1 KLAS 6. N. RHEDIN Iwsurok ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 K.G. N. RHEDIN 0/ llal 4 un .p fl Q March 26, 1963 BUOYS FOR SHIP LOADING,UNLOADING OR BUNKERING Filed May 15, 1961 March 1963 K. G. N. RHEDlN3,082,440

BUOYS FOR SHIP LOADING, UNLOADING OR BUNKERING Filed May 15, 1961 6Sheets-Sheet 4 KLAS 6N. RHEDIN INVEN me ATTOEA/EVj March 26, 1963 K. e.N. RHEDIN 3,

BUOYS FOR SHIP LOADING, UNLOADING 0R BUNKERING Filed May 15, 1961 6Sheets-Sheet 5 KLAs G. N RHEDIN INVENTOR 5y WM, MW/M AYTORA/EVS March26, 1963 K. G. N. RHEDIN 3,

BUOYS FOR SHIP LOADING, UNLOADING OR BUNKERING Filed May 15, 1961 6Sheets-Sheet 6 KLAS 6N. RHEDIN INVENTOR BY H/MM, Ufmw Arrows vs I UnitedStates Patent $632-$ 26 BUQYS 59R SHE? Lt'i'ABh lG, UNLQABZ NG EUNKERENGKins Gunner Nathanael Rhedin, i lalsinghorg, Sweden, as-

signor to All international lviarhie and illevelop merit tlorporation,fitoehholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed May 15, 1961, Ser. No.@9538 Claims priority, applicati n Sweden May i6, 196% 7 (Cl. Q -8) Thisinvention relates to a buoy which is to serve as a ship loading,unloading or bunkering station, constituting a connecting link between adepot located in proximity to the buoy a ship moored to and swingingabout the buoy under the action of winds and currents. Such depot mayincurde supplies of fuel oil and other liquids, such as lubricating oiland fresh water, and then it is desired to establish communication,through said buoy, between the ship and the depot by means of severalhose conduits at the same time, which brings the problem of protectingthe hose conduits between the depot and the buoy as well as between thebuoy and the ship from twisting about each other and being damaged whenthe ship swings around the buoy.

The invention provides a solution of the above problem and ischaracterised by the fact that the buoy has several anchor fastenings soas to permit non-rotatable anchoring thereof at sea and is equipped witha pipe swivel which has an inner portion fr'edly secured to the buoy andpresenting a plurality of channels adapted to be brought incommunication with a liquid depot, and an outer portion rotatablerelative to the inner portion about a vertical axis and having acorresponding number of channels which communicate each with one of thechannels of the inner portion and which are adapted to be brought incommunication with a ship moored to the buoy.

For a better understanding of the invention an embodinent thereof willbe described more in detail in the following, reference being made tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the buoy;

P18. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 11-11 in PEG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the pipe swivel;

FEGS. 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views on lines IVTV and V-V,respectively, in FIG. 3;

6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the swivel; and

PEG. 7 is a view showing the buoy in use.

The buoy illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally designated itsubstantially is in the form of a low upright cylinder. It is made fromsheet metal, and as appears from PEG. 2, it is reinforced internally byfloors, frames, deck beams, girders and bulkheads.

At the underside of the bottom at the periphery thereof the buoy hasfour anchor fastenings l]. to permit anchoring it by means of fourwidely spread anchors to prevent it from being turned round. Disposed inan inclined transition between the deck and the vertical side the buoyhas a pair of manholes 1 closed by watertight doors through which theentire inner space of the buoy is accessible. On the deck the buoy has acentrally located moring ring 13 which is mounted on an elevated portion34 of the deck by means of rollers (not shown). A mooring hook 15 isprovided on said ring 13. The ring 13 being freely rotatable, a shipmoored to the hook 15 can swing around the buoy under the action ofwinds and currents.

In the centre or the deck the buoy has a pipe swivel which is shown indetail in FIGS. 3-6. It mainly consists of two cylindrical portions, aninner 16 secured vertically 3,982,444 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 ice in ahole in the elevated portion 14 of the deck, and an outer l7 rotatablymounted on the inner portion 16.

The inner portion 16 has a shell composed of a plurality of shortcylindrical sheet metal sections 18, 19, 2d, 21, 22, and alternatingtherewith, of heavy rings 23, 24, 25, 25, 27, 28, said sections andrings being welded together. A conical end wall 29 is welded to thelowermost ring 23 and a domed end wall 38 to the uppermost ring. Thelowermost but one ring 24 has an outer flange 31 which is screwed to theelevated deck portion 14, as is shown in FIG. 3.

A pipe 32 is welded centrally in the cylinder 16 to the end walls 2.?and 3d. The pipe projects through the two end walls and has couplingflanges 33, 34 on its ends. Between the pipe and the outer shell thecylinder is divided by vertical partitions 35 into four sectors 36A,36B, 36C, 36D, as will appear from PEG. 4, and from each sector anopening 37A, 3713, 3'76 and 37D, respectively, leads out of thecylinder. These openings are provided each in one of the short sheetmetal sections 19, Ztl, 21, 22 and thus all lie at diderent levels. Theyare so large as to have approximately the same area as the sectorsBtiA-D. The lower end wall of the cylinder 16 has four openings 38A,38B, 38C, 3$D surrounded by coupling flan es 39. These openings eachlead into one of the sectors SA-D.

The outer portion 17 of the swivel has a sheet metal shell 40, a lowerend wall 41, an upper end wall 42 and three horizontal partitions 43which divide the cylinder into four chambers or doors 44A, 44B, 44C,44D. The lower annular end wall 41 has its inner edge provided with abearing ring 45 resting on a wear ring 46 on the mounting flange 31 ofthe inner portion 16 and engaging the lowermost but one ring 24 of theinner portion 16. The upper end wall likewise has a bearing ring 47engaging the uppermost ring 23 of the inner portion, and the partitions43 also have bearing rings 43 each engaging one of the intermediaterings 25, 26 and 27 of the inner portion. The outer portion is retainedon the inner portion by a number of abutments 16a removably attached tothe inner portion.

All radial bearings are sealed by means of O-rings 49 placed in grooves50 in the bearing rings of the outer portion 17. In FIG. 6 it isspecifically shown how the bearing rings 48 of the partitions 43 aresealed against the bearing rings 25, 26, 27 of the inner portion. Eachbearing ring 43 has two grooves 59 with O-rings 49 and between these afurther groove 51 from which a drain pipe 52 leads outward through thesheet metal shell 40. The drain groove 51 is thus always held atatmospheric pressure and efficiently prevents leakage from a floor underhigh pressure to another floor under low pressure.

The outer portion 17 has an outlet from each chamber or floor 44A-D inthe shape of a connection 53A, 53B, 52C and 53D, respectively, which isprovided with a coupling flange 54. The connections are extended bymeans of pipe lines 55 (FIGS. 1 and'Z) which are drawn in parallel fromthe swivel over the deck of the buoy and down along the outside thereofin order to be connected by hoses 56 to a ship moored to the buoy.

The pipe lines 55 are carried by a swinging bridge 57 which has itsinner end fixedly connected to the mooring ring 33 by means of a pair oftie plates 58 and has its outer end provided with two pairs of rollers59 rolling on the buoy so that the bridge with the pipe lines is swunground together with the mooring hook 15 when a ship moored to it swingsabout the buoy. At its outer part the bridge has a pair of resilientfenders 60 which protect the pipe lines from being hit should a shipaccidentally collide with the buoy.

In order that the swivel and the pipe lines 55 may not be exposed tostresses that would jeopardize the turning movement of the swivel, eachof the pipe lines 55 between the swivel and that fastening of the pipeline to the bridge which is closest to the swivel, is equipped with acompensating element 61 of a known construction which permits variationof its length and also a slight bending of the pipe line. In addition,the outer portion 17 of the swivel is provided with a pair ofdiametrically projecting arms 62 which are resiliently connected to themooring ring 13 for example by elastic links 63. The swivel is thusrotated by the mooring ring without any appreciable con tribution fromthe pipe lines and is simultaneously protected against such outer forcesas may arise when a ship collides with the bridge or due to heatexpansion of the pipe lines. 7

In FIG. 2 supply pipes 64 are shown connected to the bottom openings ofthe inner swivel portion. The pipes each have one valve 65 and are drawnto the bottom of the buoy where they are provided with coupling flangesto permit connection by means of hoses to different compartments of adepot which may be positioned on a shore in the vicinity or at thebottom of the sea beneath the buoy. It appears from the figures that forinstance the pipe 64 designated A in FIG. 2 is in communication throughthe bottom opening 38A, sector 36A and side opening 37A of the innerswivel portion 16 and the chamber 44A of the outer swivel portion withthe connection 53A and its extension 55, 56 in all angular positions ofthe swivel and that the same applies to the other pipes 64, i.e. thebuoy makes it possible for a ship swinging about the buoy to haveconnection via said buoy with a stationary depot through four separatechannels at the same time.

The number of channels may of course be varied as desired. For abunkering station two or three channels are perhaps sutiicient forbunkering, and in addition it may be suitable to have a channel which isused in the opposite direction, enabling the ships through said channelto get rid of waste oil and the like which must not be discharged intothe water.

The central pipe 32 of the inner swivel portion 16 offers an additionalchannel which may be used for the same purpose as the others if theupper end of the pipe is provided with a simple swivel; however, thispipe is intended for other types of connection between the buoy and thedepot or the shore, such as a telephone line and a lighting conductor toa beacon placed on the buoy.

The use of the buoy is illustrated in FIG. 7. The buoy is anchored bymeans of four anchors 71 and chain cables 7 72 so that it cannot turnaround when floating on the water surface. Hoses 73 and pipelines 74connect the buoy, more particularly the inner portion of its swivel,with a depot 75 on a nearby shore which has supplies of fuel oil andother liquids. A naval tanker 76 is so moored to the buoy by means ofmooring cables 77 attached to the mooring book of the buoy that it isable to swing about it, and the cargo conduit system of the tanker isconnected through hoses 56 with the buoy, more particularly the outerportion of the swivel thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A buoy having means to permit non-rotatable ancho'ring thereof atsea, means for so mooring a ship to the buoy that it is able to swingabout it, and a pipe swivel for establishing a multiple conduitconnection between a stationary depot and a ship moored to the buoy soas to swing about it, said pipe swivel comprising an inner hollowcylinder fixed vertically in the buoy and containing a plurality ofvertical channels all opening on one hand through the lower end of thecylinder to be connected to the depot by means of hoses, and on theother hand through openings in the cylinder shell at ditferent levels,and an outer hollow cylinder mounted for rotation on the inner cylinderin concentric spaced relation thereto and divided along its height intoa plurality of annular compartrnents on one hand communicating each withone of the channels of the inner cylinder through said openings in theshell thereof and on the other hand opening through apertures in theshell of the outer cylinder to be connected to the ship by means ofhoses.

2. A buoy having means permitting non-rotatable anchoring thereof atsea, a horizontal mooring ring rotatably mounted on the buoy and havinga fastening for a mooring cable, a pipe swivel concentric within saidmooring ring and comprising an inner hollow cylinder fixedly secured tothe buoy and having therein a plurality of sectorshaped. channels, meansfor connecting the channels to a stationary depot, an outer hollowcylinder rotatably mounted on the inner portion to permit rotationrelative to said inner portion about a vertical axis and having acorresponding number of vertically spaced annular channels therein, saidinner cylinder having openings therein, one for each channel and atdifferent heights by which said annular channels are in permanentcommunication with the respective channels of the inner portion, aswinging bridge one end of which is secured to the mooring ring whileits other end is movably supported on the buoy along the peripherythereof, and a plurality of pipe lines mounted on the swinging bridgeand leading from the outer hollow cylinder over the periphery of thebuoy and communicating each with the respective one of the channels or"said outer swivel portion.

3. A buoy as claimed in claim 2 wherein the outer hol low cylinder isconnected to the mooring ring to be rotated together with it.

4. A buoy having means for non-rotatable anchoring thereof at sea, meansfor so mooring a ship to the buoy that it is able to swing about it, anda pipe swivel for establishing a multiple conduit connection between astationary depot and a ship moored to the buoy, said pipe swivelconsisting essentially of an inner hollow cylinder fixedly mounted inthe buoy in a vertical position, radially extending vertical partitionsin said inner cylinder dividing it into a plurality of vertical channelseach extending along a portion of the cylinder and adapted at theirlower ends to be connected by hoses to the liquid depot, said cylinderhaving side apertures at dilierent levels through which said channelsopen out of said cylinder, and an outer cylinder enclosing said innercylinder in radially spaced relation thereto, horizontal annular endwalls and partitions in said outer cylinder having inner edge surfacesin bearing and sealing engagement with the outer surface of said innercylinder and dividing the space between the cylinder shells into aplurality of annular channels, each positioned on a level with one ofthe apertures in the inner cylinder shell and each having an aperture inthe outer cylinder shellfor connection with the ship through hoses.

5. A buoy as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a horizontal mooringring rotatably mounted on the buoy around and concentric with the pipeswivel and carrying a fastening for a mooring cable, a swinging bridgeone end of which is rigidly secured to the mooring ring while its otherend is movably supported on the buoy along the periphery thereof, and aplurality of pipe lines mounted on the swinging bridge and each leadingfrom one of the apertures of the outer pipe swivel cylinder and over theperiphery of the buoy.

6. A buoy as claimed in claim 5, in which the outer pipe swivel cylinderis connected with the mooring ring to be rotated by it.

7. A buoy as claimed in claim 6, in which the connection between theouter pipe swivel cylinder and the mooring ring is resilient, and thepipe lines have resilient parts therein to avoid transferring lateralforces to the pipe swivel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,587,797 Wiggins Mar. 4, 1952 2,771,617 Brackx Nov. 27, 1956 2,894,268Griebe July 14, 1959

1. A BUOY HAVING MEANS TO PERMIT NON-ROTATABLE ANCHORING THEREOF AT SEA,MEANS FOR SO MOORING A SHIP TO THE BUOY THAT IT IS ABLE TO SWING ABOUTIT, AND A PIPE SWIVEL FOR ESTABLISHING A MULTIPLE CONDUIT CONNECTIONBETWEEN A STATIONARY DEPOT AND A SHIP MOORED TO THE BUOY SO AS TO SWINGABOUT IT, SAID PIPE SWIVEL COMPRISING AN INNER HOLLOW CYLINDER FIXEDVERTICALLY IN THE BUOY AND CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL CHANNELSALL OPENING ON ONE HAND THROUGH THE LOWER END OF THE CYLINDER TO BECONNECTED TO THE DEPOT BY MEANS OF HOSES, AND ON THE OTHER HAND THROUGHOPENINGS IN THE CYLINDER SHELL AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, AND AN OUTER HOLLOWCYLINDER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON THE INNER CYLINDER IN CONCENTRIC SPACEDRELATION THERETO AND DIVIDED ALONG ITS HEIGHT INTO A PLURALITY OFANNULAR COMPARTMENTS ON ONE HAND COMMUNICATING EACH WITH ONE OF THECHANNELS OF THE INNER CYLINDER THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN THE SHELLTHEREOF AND ON THE OTHER HAND OPENING THROUGH APERTURES IN THE SHELL OFTHE OUTER CYLINDER TO BE CONNECTED TO THE SHIP BY MEANS OF HOSES.